Machine for coating confectionery



(No Model.)

- 7 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. G. RUBY.

MACHINE FOR COATING GONFEGTIONERY.

No. 539,548. Patented May .21, 18951.

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(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Shet 2.

J. G.RUB Y. I MACHINE FOR COATING GONFEGTIONERY.

No. 539,548. Patented-May 21, 1895.

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(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 3.

J. O. RUBY. MACHINE FOR comma GONFEGTIONERY.

No. 539,548. Patented May 21, 1895.

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(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 4.

J; U. RUBY. MACHINE 'FOR COATING GONFEGTIONERY.

No; 539,548. Patented May'Zl, 1895.

PETERS co. Pncn'dumo WASHINGTON, n. 4:.

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J. c. RUBY. I MACHINE FOR COATING GONFEGTIONER Y.

No. 539,548. Patented May 21, 1895.

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J. G. RUBY.

MACHINE FOR COATING GONFEGTIONERY.

Patented zi, 1895.

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(No Model.) 7 Sheets -Sheet 7. J. G. RUBY. MACHINE FOR COATINGGONFEGTIONERY- No. 539,548- Patented May'ZI, 1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSHUA CLAY RUBY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

MACHINE FOR COATING CONFECTIONER Y.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 539,548, dated May 21,1895.

Application filed June a, 1894.

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSHUA CLAY RUBY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Machine for CoatingConfectioncry, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to machines for making candy, and particularly tothe means for coating casts in the formation of chocolate drops andsimilar kinds of candy, the objects in view being to provide means forremoving the casts from the starch in the casting-box or tray;furthermore, to provide means for removing the starch from the surfaceof the casts; to provide independent dip-cups for the reception of thecasts; to provide means for depositing the coating in a group of the dipcups simultaneously; to provide means for depositing the casts in thedip-cups; to provide supporting devices or claws within the dip-cups tocatch the casts as they enter said cups; to provide means for depressingthe casts into the coating material in -the cups, whereby they may bewholly immersed therein; to provide means for operating the claws toelevate the caste from the coating material; to provide means forremoving the surplus coating material from the surfaces of the casts toavoid dripping or flowing of such coating material after the casts havebeen deposited upon the drying table, and, finally, to provide means fordischarging the coated casts and arranging them in their proper orupright positions upon the table.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear in thefollowing description, and the novel features thereof will beparticularly pointed out in the appended claims. I

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a machine embodying myinvention, the car rier being shown in full lines in position to receivechocolate from the tank andin dotted lines in its operative positionwith the tray reversed as when discharging the coated casts. Fig. 2 isaplan view with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1, the top orcovering-plate of the carriage being broken away to show the subjacentdevice for lifting the casts. Fig. 3 is a detail front view of thecarriage, partly broken away. Fig. 4 is a detail view,

Serial No. 513,938. (No model.)

in perspective, of the lifting or pick-up de vice. Fig. 5 is a side viewof the means for depressing the casts into the dip-cups and for removingthe surplus coating, with the carriage arranged in the operativeposition thereunder, said depressing and surplusremoving devices beingin position to depress the casts. Fig. 6 is a similar viewshowing theparts in position to remove the surplus coating. Fig. 7 is a detailfront view of the tray. Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of the same. Fig. 9is a detail View, in section, of one of the dip-cups, the cast-receivingfork being depressed. Fig. 10 is a similar view with the fork elevated.Fig. 11 is a longitudinal vertical section of a portion of the tank orreservoir for contain ing the coating material, the controlling-slidebeing shown in its closed position. Fig. 12 is a vertical section of amodified form of receptacle for containing the coating material andmeans for applying such material to the casts and showing in full linesa modified form of tray in its operative position and in dotted linesthe same in its discharging position. Fig. 13 isa plan view of said-modified form of tray. Fig. 14 is adetailenlarged sectional view of aportion of the fioor of the blow-off device with a portion of thesuperjacent lifting or pick-up device to show the means for removing thecasting starch from the casts.

Similar numerals of reference indicate cor- -responding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

The supporting frame 1 of the improved ma chine is provided withparallel'longitudinally disposed tracks 2, upon which are mounted therollers 3, of the carriage 4, said carriage being the'means forconveying the casts from the casting-bozo and depositing them in thedip-cups hereinafter described.

The casting-box 5 is located at one end of the framework, and may be ofthe ordinary or any preferred construction, inasmuch as the mechanismembodying my invention relates to that portion of the process of candymakin g which succeeds the formation of the candy casts.

The carriage 4 is provided with lifting or pick-up devices adapted to belowered into the starch in the casting-box to engage the vices beingconstructed as follows.

6 represents the frame of the carriage, which is provided with dependingvertical guides 7, and in these guides are slidably mounted thesupporting rods 8, to the lower ends of which is fixed the outer frameor member 9 of the lifting or pick-up device, said outer frame 9 beingprovided with cars 10 which are attached by means of securing nuts 11 tothe lower ends of said rods 8.

Pivotally connected to ears 12 projecting inward from the dependingguides are bellcrank levers 13, the outer or approximately horizontalarms of which are attached to sleeves 14 fixed to the guide-rods 8, saidhorizontal arms of the bell-crank levers being slotted longitudinally,as shown at 15, for the reception of the pins 16 attached to thesleeves, whereby as the bell-crank levers are moved to elevate ordepress the rods 8, no binding or locking of the joints is caused. Theoppositely extending arms 17 of the bellcrank levers are connected by alink 18, and one of the hell-crank levers is provided with an operatinghandle 19, whereby the bellcrank levers may be operated simultaneouslyto either elevate or depress the frame 9.

Arranged within the outer frame 90f the lifting or pick-up device is aninner frame 20, which fits snugly within the outer frame, and is capableof movement independently thereof, such movement. being accomplished bymeans of bell-crank levers 21, the outer approximately horizontal armsof which are pivotally connected to sleeves 22 fixed to upright rods 23attached at their lower ends to the lateral ears 24 on the inner frame20, said hell-crank levers 21 being fulcrumed upon ears 25 of the outerframe 9, and the connection between the outer or approximatelyhorizontal arms of the bell-crank levers and the sleeves 22 being bymeans of slots 26 and engaging pins 27 for the reason above assigned inconnection with the attachment of the levers 13 with the sleeves 14.

The oppositely extending arms 28 of the bellcrank levers 21 areconnected by a link .29, and attached to one of these levers is anoperating handle 30. The operation of the lever 30 in the directionindicated by the arrow adjacent thereto depresses the inner frame 20,and as the inner frame is provided with V-shaped slots 31, and the outerframe with horizontal slots 32, in which are arranged loose rods 33,said movement of the lever 30 causes the movement of said rods towardeach other to contract or reduce the openings or meshes formed by therods. A movement of the lever 30 in the opposite direction to thatindicated by the said arrow separates the rods and thus spreads or opensthe meshes formed thereby, as shown in Fig. 3.

it will be understoodthat the means for operating the outer and innerframes or members of the lifting or pick-up device are duplicated at theopposite sidcsofsaid frames, with the exception of the operating-handles19 and 30, the bell-crank levers 13 being connected by shafts 34, andthe bell-crank levers 21 being connected by shafts 35.

Located adjacent to the casting-box and in the path of the carriage 4 isa blow-off device 36, consisting of a box or casing having the oppositesides 27 spaced apart a sufficient distance to admit the carriage, thelatter being provided with vertical end plates 38, which, when thecarriage is in place between the walls 37, fill the spaces between thelatter, and thus complete the box. In connection with this box andforming a part of the blow-off device 36 is a fan 39, the inlet opening40 of which is connected by means of an exhaust-pipe 41 with an opening42 in one of the walls 37, and the discharge nozzle 43 of i which isconnected by means of a pipe 44 with a funnel 45 arranged below saidbox. The floor of the box is provided with a series of juxtaposedperforations 46 spanned by pins 47, to which are attached flexibleagitators 48, consisting of pieces of fabric or similar material whichare thus exposed to the action of the blast discharged from the pipe 44.

The operation of the lifting or pick-up device is as follows: After thecarriage has been arranged over the casting-box in which the candy casts49 are arranged at intervals indicated in the drawingsin Figs. 2 and 3,the operating handle 19 is moved in the direction indicated by the arrowadjacent to said part, in order to depress the pick-up frames 9 and 20into the starch in which the casts are arranged. At the time ofdepressing the pickup frame the inner frame 20 is elevated with relationto the outer frame, whereby the rods 33 are separated or arranged inpairs, and therefore said rods pass down into the starch between therows of casts. After such depression of the pick-up frames hasbeeuattained,the operating-handle 30ismovedin the direction indicated bythe arrow adjacent thereto to depress the inner frame with relation tothe outer frame of the piclrup and thus reduce the distances between therods 33, whereby the meshes formed thereby are smaller than thediameters of the casts. The handle 19 is moved in the opposite directionto elevate the pickup frames, and at the same time remove the casts fromthe box. The car riage is then moved forward into the box of theblow-off device, and the valve 50 arranged in the pipe 44 is opened todirect the blast into the funnel 45,while a corresponding valve 51 in abranch-pipe 52 is closed. The exhaustpipe 41 draws from the interior ofthe box of the blow-01f, and the pipe 44 conveys the blast from the fanto the funnel 45 from which it is projected through the perforations 46in the floor of said box and against the casts, thus carrying the loosestarch from the latter and conveying it around through the exhaust-pipe41, through the fan, and up through the blastpipe 44. The flexibleagitators 48, which are disposed over the perforations 46, are vibratedin contact with the casts, thus assisting in the detachment of thestarch which is carried away as above described. when the blast hascontinued a sufficient time to remove the starch, the valve 50 is closedand the valve 51 is opened, thus directing the blast into the pipe 52which communicates with a room or chamber, not shown, in which theloosened starch is deposited.

Arranged at the opposite end of the framework 1 is reservoir 53,provided with a perforated floor 54, and asliding perforated cut-01f 55,which is arranged parallel and in contact with the floor 54:, wherebywhen the perforations of the cut-0E and floor agree, the contents of thereservoir are allowed to escape, and when said perforations are out ofregis tration, the escape of said contents is prevented. This reservoiris surrounded by a jacket 56 for the reception of hot water formaintaining the contents of the reservoir in a semi-liquid 'statel- Thecut-01f plate is provided with an operatinglever 57.1 1

Arranged belowthe plane (of the tracks 2 are the parallelguidesl58,.uponwhichis mounted a carrier-59,,having depending eyes 60which fit slidably upon said guides; Hinged to the body portion of thiscarrier is a tray 61, which is adapted to occupy a position within thebody of the carrier or may be turned over or reversed to occupy theposition shown in Fig. 1, in dotted lines, as hereinafter explained.Attached to .this tray 61 is a series of spaced dip-cups 62, spaced toagree withthe intervals between the casts in the casting-box, theintervals between the centers of the-meshes in the pickup, the intervals between the perforations in, the floor of the blow-off, and theintervals between the perforations in the floor of the reservoir.Arranged .within these dip-cups are cast-holdin g claws 63 provided withstems 64 which fit in perforations 65 in the bottoms of the dip-cups.The lower ends of these stems are attached to a movable plate 66, uponthe under side of which is centrally swiveled an operating spider 67fitting at the terminals of its arms in inclined or cam-slots 68in thebrackets 69. These brackes are supported by the tray 61, and thereforewhen the spider 67 is turned in one direction the stems 64 are pushedupward to elevate the claws 63 in the dip-cups, and when the spider isturned in the other direction, the stems are lowered to immerse theclaws in the contents of said cups. There fore, after the starch hasbeen removed by the blow-off device from the casts, the carriage ismoved forward to a position adjacent to the reservoir 53, while thecarrier, which has been previously disposed under the reservoir toenable the dip-cups to be filled with coating material from saidreservoir, is arranged under the carriage with the dip-cups disposedrespectively beneath the casts in the pick-up device. The handle 30 isnow moved in the direction opposite to that indicated by the arrowadjacent thereto to open the meshes, whereupon the casts drop into thedip cups and are received by the clawsarranged therein.

Normally arranged upon a lateral portion 70 of the supporting frame is ahood 71 provided with guide-rods 72, fitting in guideopenings 73 in saidlateral frame, and after the casts have been dropped into the dip-cupsand the carriage has been returned to its initial position for anotherload of casts, said hood is moved forward supported by said guide rodsto the position shown in Fig. 5 over the tray which carries saiddip-cups. Mounted upon the frame of the hood is a plate 74 carrying aseries of push-pins 75, which are spaced to agree with the intervalsbetween the centers of the dip-cups. This plate 74 is supported by meansof springs 76, whereby when the hood has been properly adjusted todispose the push-pins respectively over the dip-cups the plate isdepressed, thus causing said pins to impinge against the casts and.

press them downward into the coating materialcontained in the cups, sothat they may be'entirely immersed therein. The hood is then movedforward ashort distance farther to bring thespaced tubes or nozzles 76?respectively, over the dip-cups, as shown in Fig; 3

6, sa'idtubes ornozzles beingfsu'pported-by and communicating withltheinterior of. the hood which is connected by means of a flexible hose 77with a, suitable blast-fan, a controlling valve 78 being provided to outoff or admitthe. blastrto the hood.

I After the immersion of the casts in the coat ing material as abovedescribed, the spider 67 is turned to elevate the claws, which thusraise the casts out of the coating material and hold them supported.above the same in the mouths of the dip-cups and directly under s thetubes orv nozzles 76. The controlling valve 78 is now opened, whereby ablast of air is directed upon the surface of eachcast to remove thesurplus coating, after which the hood is moved backward to its originalposition and the tray is turned over upon its hinge and allowed to dropuntil its free edge is checked by the stationary stop 79,. thus jarringthe casts out of engagement with the claws and depositing them upontheir fiat sides upon the table 80.

It willbe understood that'the casts are made in an inverted position andretain this inverted position throughout.- the above describedoperation, whereby the blast from the hoodis directed upon thefiatfsidesor hottoms of the casts, thus removing the chocolate or other coatingpartly or wholly from that side of each cast which will thereafter be incontact with the table 80 to avoid the flowing of the coating materialand the formation of a fin or ragged edge around the bottom of thecompleted drop.

In connectionwith the above mechanism I employ a modified form of tray,as shown in Figs. 12 and 13, said tray consisting ofa plate 81 providedwith a series of perforations 82,'beneath which are arrangedbaskets83.These baskets perform the function of ,the claws above described, inthat they receive the casts from the pick-up device of the carriage.This modified form of tray is supported upon a carrier of the sameconstruction as that above described, and below the carrier is arrangeda tank 84: having a plunger 85 provided with a stem 86. Upon this stemis threaded an operating handle 87, which when turned is adapted toraise or lower the plunger 85 and thus raise or lower the chocolate orother coating material which is arranged in the upper portion of thetank above said plunger. Therefore, after the casts have been depositedin the baskets of the tray the plunger 85 is elevated sufiiciently tobring the coating material above the plane of the casts. The remainingportion of the apparatus, as used with this modified form of tray, isidentical with that above described, including the carriage, starchblow-off, and the device for removing the surplus coating, but, inasmuchas the lowering of the plunger removes the coating material from thecasts, it is necessary after the operation of the blast for removing thesurplus chocolate, to turn the tray over in the manner above describedin connection with the preferred form of the mechanism to discharge thecasts from the baskets and deposit them upon the drying table.

It is well known that dealers in candy prefer those means of manufacturewhich give the confectionery the appearance of having been made by handin contradistinction to those which are obviously machine made, and inorder to provide for this preference I employ the hereinbefore describedclaws for elevatin g the casts above the surface of the coatingmaterial, and also the open-work receptacles shown in the modified formof the chocolate applying devices. The indication of hand-madeconfectionery of this class is a fin at the top or apex of the dropformed at the time of depositing the drop upon the drying table andformed by a slight adher ence of the chocolate or other coating materialto the receptacle in which the cast has been held while dipped in thecoating material. The fingers of the claws employed in the improvedmachine intersect at the bottom of the claws, and to this intersectingpoint the coating material adheres as the casts are deposited upon thedrying table by the reversal of the tray, and hence each drop is formedwith the fin which is sought for by dealers and those purchasers who areaware of the difference between hand and machine made confectionery. Thesame is true of the cages employed in the modified form of my invention.The intersection of the wires forming the cage causes an adherence ofthe coating material which forms this fin. The con struction of both theclaws and the wire cages or receptacles provides for the exposure of thegreater portion of the surface of each cast, and hence the uniformapplication of the coating material. It is obvious that in order to formthe fin at the apex of the drop Without a rough edge or flange of thecoating material around the base, the combination of parts whereby thecast is held in inverted position while dripping and during the removalof the surplus material from the base, and the reversal of the drop todeposit it upon the base from which said surplus material has beenremoved, is essential.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of theinvention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a machine forcoating candy, the combination with a casting-box, of a carriage havinga lifting or pick-up device provided with a reticulated diaphragm, meansfor depressing the lifting or pick-up device into the starch containedin the castingbox, and means for closing the meshes of said reticulateddiaphragm, substantially as specified.

2. In a candy coating machine, the combination with a casting-box, of acarriage, a lifting or pick-up device supported by said carriage andhaving telescoping frames provided respectively with horizontal andV-shaped registering slots, a reticulated diaphragm composed ofintersecting rods engaging said slots in the telescoping frames, meansfor depressing the frames to lower the rods composing the diaphragm intothestarch in the castingbox, and means for moving one of the framesindependently of the other to adjust the relative positions of the rodsto close or open the gpaces therebetween, substantially as speci- 3. Ina candy coating machine, the combination with a castingbox, of acarriage, a lifting or pick-up device mounted on the carriage and havingthe telescoping frames provided respectively with registering V-shapedand horizontal slots, a diaphragm composed of intersecting rodsengagingsaid registering slots, guide-rods attached to one of the framesand fitting slidably in guides on the carriage, connected leversfulcrumed upon the guides and engaging said guide-rods, and means formoving the other frame independently of the first named frame to-varythe intervals between said rods, substantially as specified.

4:. In a candy coating machine, the combination with a casting-box, of acarriage, a lifting or pick-up device supported by the carriage andhaving telescoping frames provided respectively with registeringV-shaped and horizontal slots, intersecting rods engaging saidregistering slots, means for lifting and depressing the frames withrelation to the carriage, and connected levers mounted upon one of theframes and engaging guide-rods attached to the other frame for changingthe relative positions of the frames and altering the intervals betweensaid rods, substantially as specified.

5. In a candy coating machine, the combination with a framework havingtracks, and

a casting box, of a carriage mounted upon said tracks, a lifting orpick-up device sup ported by the carriage and adapted to engage thecandy casts and remove them from said box, and a blow-off device havinga box or casing for the reception of the carriage, and an exhaust fan incommunication with the box or casing, substantially as specified.

6. In a candy coating machine, the combination with a supportingframework having tracks, and a casting box, of a carriage mounted uponsaid tracks, a lifting or pickup device adapted to engage and remove thecasts from said box, and a blow-01f device having a box or casing forthe reception of said carriage, a fan provided with an exhaustpipe, anda blast-pipe communicating with said box or casing respectively aboveand below the plane of said lifting or pick-u p device, substantially asspecified.

'7. In a candy coating machine, the combination with a supportingframework having tracks, and a casting-box, of a carriage mounted uponsaid tracks and provided with end plates, a lifting or pick-up devicesupported-by the carriage and adapted to engage and remove the candycasts from the box, and a blow-off device having a box or casingconsisting of parallel side walls spaced apart to agree with the widthof the end plates of the carriage, and a fan having an exhaust-pipe, andablast-pipe communicating with-said box or casing, substantiallyasspecified.

8. In a candy coatingmachine, the combination with a supportingframework having tracks, and a casting-box, of a carriage mounted uponsaid tracks, a lifting or pickup device adapted to engage and remove thecandy casts from said box, said carriage be ing provided with endplates, a blow-off device having a box or casing consisting of sidewalls spaced apart to agree with the width of the end plates of thecarriage and having a perforated floor and a subjacent funnel, a fan, anexhaust-pipe cpnnecting the inlet passage of the fan with the interiorof the box or casing above the plane of the lifting or pick-up device ofthe carriage, and a blast-pipe communicating with the outlet of said fanand connected to the said subjacent funnel, substantially as specified.

9. In a candy coating machine, the combination with a supportingframework having tracks, and a casting-box, of a carriage mounted uponsaid tracks, a lifting or pick- ,up device supported by the carriage andadapted to engage and remove the candy casts from said box, and ablow-off device having a box or casing for the reception of thecarriage, said box or casing being provided with a perforated floor, afan having an exhaustpipe connected with the box or casing above theplane of the lifting or pick-updevice, and a blast-pipe communicatingwith a funnel beneath said perforated floor of the box or casing, andagitators arranged within the box or casing in position to be affectedby the blast introduced through the perforated floor and vibrated bysuch blast in contact with the casts, substantially as specified.

, 10. In a candy coating machine,the combination with a supportingframework, of a carriage provided with means for supporting candy casts,a blow-elf device having a box or casing for the reception of thecarriage, a fan communicating with said .box or casing, and flexibleagitators arranged within the box or casing in the path of the blastfrom said fan to contact with the casts to detach the casting starchfrom the surfaces thereof, substantially as specified.

11. In a candy coating machine, the combination with a framework, of acarriage provided with means for supporting candy casts arranged atintervals and out of contact with each other, a blow-off device having abox or casing for the reception of said carriage, said box or casingbeing provided with a perforated floor in which the perforations arespaced to agree with the intervals between the casts supported by thecarriage, a fan havnel disposed below said floor, and flexible agitatorsdisposed respectively above the perforations in the floor of the box orcasing and adapted to contact with the casts to detach the castingstarch therefrom, substantially as specified.

ing a blast-pipe in communication with a fun- 12. In a candy coatingmachine, the combi-" nation with a framework, of a carriage mountedthereon and adapted to support candy casts, a blow-off device having abox or casing for the reception of said carriage, a fan having exhaustand blast-pipes communicating with said box or casing, a branch-pipecommunicating with said blast-pipe, and valves arranged in the blast andbranch-pipes, substantially as specified.

13. In a candy coating machine, the combination with a framework havingtracks, and a casting-box, of a carriage mounted upon said tracks, alifting or pick-up device supported by the carriage and adapted toengage and remove candy casts from said castingbox, a tray havingdip-cups spaced to agree with the intervals between the casts supportedICO by the lifting or pick-up device, and means for removing the castsfrom said dip-cups,

substantially as specified.

let. In a candy coating machine, the combination with a supportingframework having tracks, and a casting-box, of a carriage mounted uponsaid tracks, a lifting or pick-up device for engaging and removing candycasts from said casting-box, a tray provided with spaced dip-cups, meansfor depositingcoating material in said cups, mechanism for raising thecasts out of the coating material in the cups, and devices vfor removingthe surplus coating from the casts, substantially as specified.

15. In acandy coating machine, the combination with a table forreceiving candy casts, of a carrier mounted upon tracks or waysextending to said table, a tank for containing coating material arrangedabove the plane of the track at an interval from said table and providedwith spaced valve controlled outlets, a reversible tray hinged to saidcarrier and provided with spaced receptacles for holding candy casts inan inverted position, whereby when the carrier is withdrawn from beneaththe tank and the tray is reversed the casts are deposited at the sameintervals in an upright position upon the table, said receptacles beingarranged at intervals corresponding with the intervals between theoutlets of said tank, and means for elevating the candy casts above thesurface of the coating material contained in the receptacles preparatoryto reversing the tray, substantially as specified.

16. In a candy coating machine, the combination with a reversible dipcup adapted to contain coating material, of a vertically movable clawarranged Within said cup and having independent spaced fingers to engageand hold a candy cast in an inverted position, whereby the greaterportion of the surface of the cast is exposed and the apex or topthereof is in contact with the intersection of the fingers of the claw,and means to adjust the claw to elevate the cast above the surface ofthe coating material and support the same in position to drippreparatory to reversing the cup E0 (discharge the cast, substantiallyas speci- 17. In a candy coating machine, the combination of a tray,dip-cups supported thereby and adapted to contain coating material,claws arranged in the dip-cups and provided with stems depending throughperforations in the bottoms thereof,a plate connecting the exterior endsof the stems, and a rotary spider swiveled upon said plate and havingarms fitting at their extremities in inclined or cam slots, whereby whenthe spider is turned the claws are elevated or depressed within thedipcups, substantially as specified.

18. In a candy coating machine, the combination with a tray, spaceddip-cups supported thereby, and means for elevating candy casts toremove them from the coating material within the dip-cups, of means forremoving surplus coating material from all of the casts simultaneously,substantially as specified.

19. In a candy coating machine, the combination with a tray,dip-cupssupported thereby, and means for elevating candy casts to removethem from the coating material within said dip-cups, of means forapplying a blast of air to the exposed sides of the casts to remove thesurplus coating, substantially as specified.

20. In a candy coating machine, the combination with a tray, dip-cupssupported thereby, and means for lifting candy casts from the dip-cupsto remove them from the coating material contained therein, of spacedblast-tubes or nozzles disposed above the clipcups, and means forcausing a blast of air through said tubes or nozzles to remove thesurplus coating from the casts, substantially as specified.

21. In a candy coating machine, the combination with a tray providedwith receptacles for candy casts, and means for applying coatingmaterial thereto, of blast tubes or nozzles spaced to agree with saidreceptacles, and means for causing a blast of air through said tubes ornozzles to remove the surplus coating from the casts, substantially asspecified.

22. In a candy coating machine, the combination with a movable trayprovided with spaced receptacles for holding coating material and candycasts, of push-pins spaced to agree with the intervals between thereceptacles, and means for simultaneously lowering said pins to depressand submerge the candy casts in the coating material contained in thereceptacles, substantially as specified.

23. In a candy coating machine, the combination with a supportingframework having parallel guides, of a carrier mounted upon said guides,a tray having spaced receptacles for candy casts, a reservoir providedwith a perforated floor, a cut-oit device for controlling the outletthrough said perforations, and means for removing the casts from thecoating material contained in the receptacles, sub stantially asspecified.

24. In a candy coating machine, the combination with a carrier mountedupon suitable tracks, a reversible tray supported by the carrier, spacedreceptacles carried by the tray, vertically movable claws arranged inthe receptacles and adapted to receive and support candy casts in aninverted position, whereby when said casts are removed from the coatingmaterial in the receptacles their bottoms are exposed, and means foradjusting the claws to elevate the casts above the surface of thecoating material in the receptacles, of a blasting device provided withtubes or nozzles spaced to agree with the intervals between thereceptacles on the tray and adapted to direct independent streams of airupon the exposed bottoms of the casts, when the latter are elevatedabove the surface of the coating material, to remove the surplus coatingmaterial adhering to the bottoms of the casts, whereby when the tray isreversed the casts are deposited upon their bottoms at intervalscorresponding with the intervals between the receptacles, substantiallyas specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSHUA CLAY RUBY. Witnesses:

ROBERT J. RUBY, R. T. FRAILEY.

